Most Glock pistols come with two sets of stock plastic sights, a front sight that screws into the front of the slide, and a rear dovetail sight that mounts to the rear of the slide.
While the front sight is not adjustable, it can be fairly easily replaced to adjust elevation. As for the rear dovetail, that sight is adjustable for windage and elevation so you can sight in your Glock.
Here’s a primer on how to do just that, with a few other considerations thrown in.
How to Adjust Glock Sights
Stock Glock rear sights come with two screws by which the windage and elevation can be adjusted with a small flathead screwdriver.
Windage adjustments are made by turning the lower screw. To adjust the rear sight to the right, the screw must be turned clockwise. Turning the lower screw counterclockwise adjusts the rear sight to the left.
Elevation adjustments are made via the upper screw, which is an eccentric screw. Eccentric screws can be adjusted up or down with just one direction of rotation.
Knowing how to adjust this rear sight is key to sighting in Glock sights, regardless of what type of iron sights are installed on your Glock.
However, you still need to know how to do so, and the process of sighting in over iron sights is different from the process involved with other optics.
Sighting in a Glock with Iron Sights
Sighting in a Glock with iron sight is very different from sighting in with other conventional optics that involve only one point of aim, such as a red dot, which has a dot, or a scope, which has a reticle.
With conventional optics, you want to adjust your dot or reticle so that it aligns closely with the point of impact; with iron sights, you adjust the sights in the direction opposite of the point of impact. Allow an explanation.
First, you need to start at a suitable range. For most applications, calibrating your Glock’s sights at a range of between 10 and 25 yards should be acceptable.
You’ll want a stable shooting platform; sighting in with iron sights offhand, though it is possible, is exceptionally difficult. Shoot from a rest if possible.
With the Glock in the shooting rest, take aim at your target and fire 3 to 5 shots at a single point on the target, all from the same range.
Then clear the weapon and assess the target. Take note of where the shots landed.
Now, this is where it helps to have a stable shooting rest. With the Glock in it (from the position from which you fired) look down the sights at the target. The sights should be perfectly aligned with the point at which you were aiming.
If your group is on-center, no further action is needed. If the group is shifted above or below, or to the right or left of the point of aim, you will need to adjust the rear sight.
For elevation adjustments: looking down the sights at the target, adjust the elevation of the rear sight in the direction opposite where the shots landed.
So, if your shots were high, you will want to lower the rear sight until it is on level with your grouping. If they were low, you will need to raise the elevation.
For windage adjustments, the same holds true. You will want to move the windage of the rear sight in the opposite direction from the grouping.
Therefore, if your shots trended to the right, adjust the rear sight so that the windage moves to the left, until the sight is in line with where your group clustered. If they skewed left, move the rear sight right.
Once your adjustments are complete, your point of aim, over your Glock sights, should be roughly aligned with the center of your grouping.
To make sure of this, reload the Glock, and fire 3 to 5 more shots on the target, again at one spot.
The group should be tighter, and more closely aligned with your point of aim. If further adjustments are needed, make them in the same manner as described above.
For More Information
The process detailed here only applies to adjustments to stock Glock iron sights, although the process explored for adjusting all iron sights remains more or less the same.
If you’re looking for information on how to sight in your red dot sight, please see our previous post on choosing red dot sights, which includes a section on how to sight in.
(For those looking for more information on Glock sight adjustments, please see Glock’s guide on the same, available for download at the previous link.)
Upgrade Your Glock’s Sights
While this guide offers helpful information on how to sight in Glock stock iron sights, it is generally accepted that Glock’s stock plastic sights are not considered a serious option for duty weapons or Glock pistols that will be carried for personal protection, whether for home defense or concealed carry.
Therefore, it’s encouraged to replace your stock sights with a more robust alternative. If you’re looking for a serviceable upgrade, consider the Glock sights we sell here at NineX19. An affordable replacement, and designed for ease of installation, our Glock sights (some of which are tritium night sights) are also suitable for co-witness with most slide-mounted optics.
You can learn more about the options we offer in Glock sights via the previous link, or get in touch with us directly.
